A Life Lived for Others
by RoseMuse
Summary: Drabbles that focus primarily on the friendship/family between various characters. May have slight shipping.
1. Poison

_I felt like writing a bunch of random drabbles that mainly center around the family relations and friendships of the various characters. _

_Just thought I'd start out with a Temari drabble. Takes place during the Rescue Gaara arc._

* * *

Temari paced nervously about the room, starting and rubbing at her cold, sweaty hands whenever Sakura called for her assistance.

The pink-haired young woman was, outwardly, incredibly cool and focused, but Temari could see the worry in her eyes - which did nothing to help alleviate her own.

Kankuro looked so pale, and that face - so rarely seen without his usual paints - reminded her of just how startlingly similar he looked to their father. Occasionally, he thrashed upon the operating table, grimacing in pain, while the other medics had to help hold him down.

Why?

Why did this have to happen?

Just when she was beginning to understand what it meant to have a real family. Now Gaara, who had come so far, whom she was so proud of and happy for, was gone. He was so brave, and he had sacrificed himself for his village. Her heart clenched at the thought and she didn't want to let those thoughts progress… She didn't think she could bear the idea of him being… possibly…

Kankuro… He was, honestly, her best friend. He was the most sensitive of the three siblings, without doubt. (Even though he always put on tough and standoffish airs.) He'd immediately gone, alone, after Gaara. It was stupid, and reckless, but… but… he truly cared so much about Gaara.

Temari squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore her constricting throat and the tears prickling behind her lashes. Damn it! She… loved her little brothers.

She didn't want to be left alone.

All she could do for them, right now, was stand and wait, and watch, while the Elders debated and while those with medical experience did what they could.

Between switching out new solutions, Sakura patted Temari's shoulder - she didn't have to say anything, and Temari wasn't really the type who cared for pity or comfort from another person, but, in this instance, she felt like she needed it.

Sakura gave her an understanding smile, and Temari returned it with a small, grateful one of her own.


	2. Smile

The brush swept across the rough, textured paper, leaving a streak of jet black in its wake. Thin, black lines formed trees and twisted branches against a wash of gray sky - a small bird caught in mid-flight across the left side of the page.

Sai pulled his muffler up over his nose, again, breath frosting in the air, and gazed out across the stark, wintery landscape.

He could hear the voices of his teammates approaching, so he carefully re-capped his ink bottle and set aside his brushes next to him on the park bench.

"Yooo! Sai!" Naruto was calling loudly as Sakura waved. The two, bundled in warm jackets, were hurrying down the path, their boots crunching on the hard-packed snow.

"We're going to grab some barbecue, do you want to join us?" Sakura asked, grinning. Her eyes were sparkling. Naruto looked like he was on the verge of laughing about something. Not in a sneaky way, just a happy way.

Normally, he would have been content to have just spent another hour working on his art (even in spite of the freezing weather) but… His friends' smiles were warm, and he didn't necessarily need to finish up this painting right away. They had come all this way out to the park to look for him, even.

Sai felt a strange contentedness bubbling up inside him.

"I would enjoy that." He said honestly, and the corners of his mouth curved upwards.

He quickly packed up his things into his bag and allowed himself to be dragged off, laughing, by his friends.


	3. Seeking Solace

_Set a number of years prior to the beginning of the main story._

_

* * *

_

From her place atop the hillside, she watched the moonlit town below, lost deep within her own thoughts. She clutched the ceramic bottle protectively to her chest, although it was empty - as were several others, scattered about her feet in the dirt.

A soft voice spoke up behind her, "L-Lady Tsunade?"

Drying her eyes as best she could, the woman turned to face a dark-haired girl. "What is it?" She asked tiredly.

"I'm… I'm sorry about today. I… know it's the anniversary. Although," The girl bravely put on a stern pout, "You really shouldn't have used it as an excuse to gamble away all of our money like that."

Tsunade spoke after a brief silence, her face serious, "We're leaving this place tomorrow morning, anyway, Shizune. We'll find another town with some odd jobs available… Earn that money back up, again, maybe."

The girl smiled slightly. "Okay."

The older woman stood, swaying slightly on her feet, and the girl rushed to support her.

They both walked down the road, together.

"Thank you, Shizune." Tsunade said, feeling immensely grateful for the companionship.

Sometimes you didn't have to carry your sorrows alone.


	4. Trouble Lurking

"Dad?"

Inoichi glanced up from the reports he was reading to look at his daughter sitting across the table from him.

"Hmm?"

"I was wondering about the Mind Transfer. Say you're… infiltrating a very secure place with top secret information…" Ino seemed to be choosing her words carefully, "but you have no excuse to be there at that time of day with the person you're manipulating…"

Inoichi sighed, recalling the capers the old Ino-Shika-Cho had gotten up to back in the day.

"Don't even think about it. Altering Academy grades never works - they're printed on chakra-infused paper." He sipped nonchalantly at his coffee.

Ino sunk into her seat and frowned at her breakfast cereal. "…Knew I should've just asked Shikamaru." He heard her mutter.


	5. Love

It's all Kushina can do to stop herself from crying. She scrunches up her face, squeezing her eyes shut. She clenches her fists. "I hate you, Minato! I do!"

When she opens her eyes, again, she sees that his face looks slightly hurt, but he smiles anyway. Turns away, slightly. "Fine, then. Whatever makes you happy. I'll try to stick around if you still need anything, though."

She can't really help herself - she dashes down the road to him and bowls him over in the dirt, throwing her arms around him tightly. She sobs messily into his new chuunin vest.

His cheeks are bright red, but he hugs her back warmly. She knows he's probably thinking she's being totally ridiculous, but she's glad he doesn't care.

"M-Minato?" She sniffles, "Promise you won't die on me now you're chuunin?"

"Okay." He promises.

"And… and we can still, like, go for ramen, sometimes, right?"

He laughs, "Sure. Hey, I can even help you train for the next exam, okay?"

"All right." Kushina nods and snuggles him closer, "Thanks. Thank you for always being there for me. Even if I'm an idiot, sometimes."

His blush becomes even redder when she kisses him for the first time.


	6. In Between Worlds

The day was ending. Three children kicked their way through the wood chips of the playground towards the tall figure standing near the chain-link fence of the entrance to the park. He wore a flak jacket, dark hair pulled back into a ponytail, and his bearded face was scarred. A good number of people in the village had scars.

"C'mon, kids. Chouji and Ino are coming over for dinner at our house, too, Shikamaru." The tall man's voice was gruff, but not harsh. The three children gathered around him, all chattering loudly at once. "Aww, man, Dad! Seriously? Just make sure I don't have to sit next to Ino!" "Shut up, Shikamaru!" "Um… um… I don't mind sitting next to you, Ino. What are we going to eat, anyway? I hope it's good."

The man sighed, herding the three forward.

Another boy sat alone on the swings, watching the group leave. He gripped the chain of the swing tighter and stared down at his sandals and his scraped knees. He chanced a look up, again, and saw that the man was looking back at him.

It was that same sort of apprehensive, curious look most of the adults in the village always gave him. However, after a moment, the man gave the boy something of a small, sad smile, and continued on his way with the children.

After the sun had gone down, Naruto left the park, walking alone down the quiet streets, up the steps of the old apartment compound, unlocking the door to his messy, but empty, room with the key hanging from a string around his neck. (Because, otherwise, he would probably lose it. Or, at least, that was what the apartment caretakers told him when he kept misplacing his old keys.)

When he sat down at his table to eat, he stared out the window, listlessly stirring at the contents of the styrofoam cup in front of him with his chopsticks. It wasn't that he didn't like what he was eating - heaven forbid - but, somehow, he just didn't feel all that hungry.

The time stretched on, and, finally, his brows furrowed in a frown.

"Well." He said loudly, defiantly, to the silence of his tiny kitchen. "Looks like it's ramen for dinner, again! I'd better eat up!"


	7. Forest

The quietness and dry, empty scent of the desert of the Wind Country could, at times, set Akamaru's fur standing and leave Kiba feeling jittery, doubting his own abilities due to the lack of anything to grasp on to.

The Mist was too close to the ocean. It was as boring as hell having nothing to look at but endless ocean, and everything smelled fishy and briny - even the people.

But, in Fire Country, in the Leaf…

He watched as Shino, with quiet amusement, hid a smirk behind the collar of his jacket, firelight glinting in his glasses. Hinata was giggling and absentmindedly attempting to brush away wayward strands of hair from her face - she was letting it grow out. Kurenai Sensei was regaling them with a pretty silly story of her genin days. Akamaru, however, seemed highly disinterested in anything but the beef bone he was lazily chewing at. Kiba smiled.

They were close enough to the village to not have to worry about any serious enemies, so they could relax, more. The moon peeked out from behind a cloud and a faint breeze stirred the leaves of the surrounding trees - bringing a scent of mountain air - of dirt, dead leaves, moss, wildflowers, creeks and deer and squirrels.

The fire slowly died down and Kiba took first watch with Akamaru, the blue moonlight illuminating the trees and the stars twinkling through the branches. And, somehow, all felt right with the world.

For him, the forest meant home.


	8. Rain

_It's been a while since I've written any Naruto fic! Sort of inspired by 573. Just assuming that these three are still in Konoha. I think the idea of the war is pretty frightening for most folks - including even the most hot-blooded types, perhaps. :p Idk. Just a bit of a writing exercise. Sorry for any mistakes or if it sounds a little OOC._

* * *

The gray drizzle churns the construction sites of Konoha into mud - all work temporarily abandoned.

Even though she is wearing a standard-issue cloak, it drips down into Moegi's hair and her nose and she sighs glumly in synchronization with Udon, who is staring out at the still forest from beneath his hood.

Konohamaru is late, but he eventually wordlessly joins the other two genin atop the wall after twenty more minutes. He looks even gloomier and his feet are caked in mud. Moegi wonders where he's been - and half wants to say something - but decides against speaking up.

Everyone has gone off to fight. Their parents, Moegi's aunt, Chitose, their upperclassmen… even their sensei, Ebisu. Unfortunately, being as young as they are, yet still considered shinobi, their orders were strictly to guard the borders of the village. Only the very young or elderly remain. Still, she feels certain that their number of genin (though small) would be enough of a match for any deserters or bandits who might try to infiltrate the Leaf.

Moegi can't help but feel a flash of worry over wondering just what her family and friends might be up to, so far away, as well as relief, at knowing that her teammates - especially Konohamaru, haven't gone haring off after them. No matter how much they might have wanted to fight in battle. (Too many Sarutobi have died already.)

Udon keeps shooting him anxious glances, though.

Konohamaru sighs, flicking a pebble from the guardrail down to the street below. Then he starts laughing, throwing back his hood to the weather.

"Jeez. You should see the looks on your faces!" He giggles.

Moegi frowns at him and Udon looks at him warily, pushing at the bridge of his glasses.

"We - We're just worried!" Moegi clenches her fists. She feels a bit like punching him directly in his dumb, smug grin. "What with the war going on, and you could just run off at any minute…"

"You're not planning on doing that, are you?" Udon asks.

"I'm fine." Konohamaru shrugs. "And I'm not going to do anything stupid. Yeah. I guess I'm a little pissed…" he mutters, "But when it comes down to it…"

"The war is pretty scary." Udon finishes.

"Yeah." Moegi agrees. "With our skills… I mean… I'm not saying that we're not good, but… None of us would last long out there."

The three survey the village: tiered roofs and winding streets, frames of buildings, and the (strangely fortunate to have survived so long) Hokage memorial, carved into the side of the mountains.

"Besides," Konohamaru adds, voice shaking. Just barely. He adjusts his hitai-ate, droplets of rain trailing along the Leaf symbol, "Someone's gotta protect our Kings."


	9. Inebriation

_Vaguely mentioned in my 'Eye of the Storm' fic, lol. I haven't written much for a while and this idea just wouldn't leave my head, so here you have it?_

* * *

"Oh, come on, Gaara." Kankuro goaded, nudging the glass closer to him. Temari was already on her second and she placed her chin in her hands upon the bar table. "I'm sure a little won't do much damage."

"No." Gaara said again, stiffly. "You do realize I'm underage, correct?"

His older brother waved a dismissive hand, "Pff. You're the Kazekage. And," He took a sip from his own glass, "As such, you can do as you want!"

"The title of Kazekage is all the more reason for me to set an example." Gaara said levelly.

"Party pooper." Kankuro grumbled.

Gaara glanced at him with a faint, withering expression. "Kankuro, you're underage as well, you know." He crossed his arms, "And, as a Kazekage who can 'do as I want', I'll see to it that you face the consequences for it and receive a sentence of a month of public service."

Temari was growing red in the face from stifled laughter as Kankuro stared, dumbfounded, while Gaara nodded at the awed bartender and left.


End file.
